


In Every Universe

by squidgie



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: First Kiss, First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:15:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25903441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squidgie/pseuds/squidgie
Summary: John and Rodney go on vacation, and John figures some things out.
Relationships: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Comments: 29
Kudos: 117
Collections: SGA Saturday Prompt Challenge





	In Every Universe

**Author's Note:**

> Ever had a first-time idea for a story that wouldn't let you go? Yeah, I've been carrying this around with me for months, and today I was finally able to get it out.

Rodney announced in senior staff that he was going to take two weeks vacation, and it hadn’t even really been a question that John was going on with him. After Rodney’d announced it, Elizabeth turned to John, and he just nodded. “Yep,” he said.

In a way, it astounded John that most people figured he and Rodney were together. But it never surprised him. 

As the days grew closer, John peppered Rodney with questions, like, “Okay, so what season will it be in Vancouver when we get there?” and “It doesn’t _really_ get cold there, does it?” and “You think I can buy a couple of hoodies when we get there?”

“And what’s wrong with yours?” Rodney asked him.

“You mean the one that I wore in that cave full of bugs when we were trying to keep me from turning into a fly?”

Rodney stared at him, aghast, then nodded his head. “Yeah, okay. We’ll buy you some more hoodies.”

It was good that travel between Earth and Atlantis had normalized because people and goods moved quickly between the two galaxies. So a vacation back on Earth was just as routine as a flight to the mainland for a harvest festival. Harvest festivals, though an alien concept to John until he’d reached Pegasus, were some of the only times that he’d felt comfortable in his own skin. Everyone had been relaxed, helped along with liberal amounts of Athosian ale. And John watched as couples paired off for the night. Carson with Cadman. Lorne with one of the new scientists, a biologist or botanist – he couldn’t remember what, other than he’d been a little surprised to find out his second in command was also gay, though with the eyes he made at the scientist – David, that was his name – well, it warmed his heart. Hell, even Elizabeth had wandered past at one point, one of the tall, handsome scientists on her arm.

Comfortable as he was, it also made John nervous. Because despite various attempts at encouragement from Teyla and others, John never made a move on anyone. Didn’t want to, because who he’d _really_ wanted always seemed to find a spot next to him. And Rodney never seemed to make much of an effort to find anyone else, either. At least not the last few celebrations.

Rodney barged into his quarters half an hour before the dialout. “You ready? I thought maybe we could stop by the Mess and get something to eat before we headed back?”

John put down the magazine that he’d managed to read a few dozen times, then got up and grabbed his backpack. “Is,” Rodney started, then pulled at a strap on John’s bag like he was twisting someone’s suspenders. “Is that _all_ you’re taking?”

John just shrugged. “Well, might as well buy the majority of my stuff there, right?” he asked. He put his free hand under his sweater, then stuck a finger out through a small hole. “Not like Pegasus has been kind to our clothes.”

Rodney stopped, and John could swear he could hear the gears turning in Rodney’s head. And sure enough, Rodney’s fingers snapped a few times in rapid succession. “Good idea. Let me just…”

“How much did you pack, Rodney?” John asked. Yeah, one of his eyebrows was raised – what of it?

After a couple more snaps, Rodney pointed at him. “You. Shut it.” He turned on a heel and headed out of John’s quarters, in the exact opposite direction of the Mess. He turned into the next doorway, which was his, so John followed. He walked in and leaned against the common wall between their two quarters and waited until Rodney came back a few minutes later with an overstuffed backpack of his own.

“You know,” Rodney said as he stuffed a couple of journals into the laptop slot of his backpack, “we could always take this wall down sometime. It’s not like it’s structural or anything.” Rodney turned away, and was that the hint of a blush on his face as he added, “It’s not like we aren’t spending all our time together anyway.”

It was the closest thing to flirting that they’d done in a while, and John knew his face was blushing ever so lightly. “I don’t know,” he finally said as he pushed away from the wall. He pulled at Rodney’s arm and started for the door. “You seem like the kind that would hog the entire bed.”

Rodney tripped over his own feet. And John didn’t care if the tips of his ears were red; it was totally worth it.

~*~*~

Rodney came back from tucking Madison into bed with two beers. He handed one to John, and they enjoyed them in silence. The usually bustling house seemed somewhat emptier, what with Madison in her room, and Jeannie and Kaleb having a weekend away at a B&B on the coast. It was nice having Rodney all to himself. But at the same time, there was usually somewhat of a buffer when they were on Atlantis, be it a movie night with the team, or some emergency that interrupted a leisurely night in on more than a regular basis.

John thought about what Rodney’d been telling Madison, explaining the concept of quantum, parallel worlds to a six-year-old. “You think she got any of that?” he asked as he took a swig of beer.

“She’s brilliant, you know,” Rodney replied, looking quite pleased with himself. “I mean, yes, she _did_ get half of an English teacher’s genes. But she also got half of the McKay genes.”

“And your sister’s smarter’n you,” John said as he reached out and clinked his bottle to Rodney’s as Rodney glared at him with a threatening look.

“I think she liked it that you said that Christmas came on a different day in each of the parallel worlds. So even though she wasn’t getting presents today, in a parallel universe, she was.” Rodney sighed. “Which reminds me, we should maybe take her ice skating tomorrow. Maybe hit up that genius toy store again.”

“Sounds good,” John replied. He clinked Rodney’s bottle again, his grip tight on the bottle for the sheer reason of giving his hands something to do. Because they desperately wanted to pull Rodney to him. Let his fingers dance over Rodney’s belly as he learned what Rodney’s neck tasted like. Before he could let himself sink too much into the thought, he quickly shook his head, trying to dislodge the thoughts.

“What?” Rodney asked. “You considering what you might be doing in another universe?”

And god help him, he was. 

“I dunno, Rodney,” John said. “Whatever universe I’m in, I’m pretty sure that you’re not too far away from me.”

Rodney gave him a bashful smile, and John couldn’t help it when his heartbeat climbed as Rodney’s tongue darted out, wetting his lips. John forced himself to look away, even as Rodney seemed to scoot that much closer to him on the sofa.

“John?” Rodney asked, his voice breathy and quiet.

John took another sip to quench his sudden thirst. And as the cold brew trickled down the back of his throat, he chanced a look at Rodney. He cleared his throat. “And, umm…. I’m pretty sure whatever universe I’m in, you’re like, right next to me.”

He watched as Rodney took a sip, then put his beer on the coffee table. “Yeah?”

John did the same, abandoning his bottle to the table. But suddenly, his fingers had nothing to do. Or, rather, he knew what he wanted them to do. And he just had to reach out; take a chance. It took him forever to find his voice. He just had to commit to it, and hope to hell he and Rodney were on the same page. “And I’m pretty sure in most of them,” he whispers, “that every single one of me wants to do this.”

When their lips connected, it was like lightning. Something erupted in his chest as Rodney leaned into him, and John finally let his fingers do something; they pulled Rodney to him as he laid back, Rodney’s weight a welcomed comfort. Like his body had been built to hold Rodney. They kissed, John welcoming the warm, smooth feel of Rodney’s body against his own, the taste of coffee, beer, and cheap Chinese takeout on his tongue.

“I thought you’d never do that,” Rodney said as he leaned up from the kiss.

John just pulled him close again and sank his hands into the back pockets of Rodney’s jeans. “I’m here now,” he said.

“You’re here now,” Rodney replied, then stood, held out a hand, and dragged John to bed.


End file.
